


Freudian Slip

by faith_xx_love



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Humour, Romance, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-15
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 12:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5004820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faith_xx_love/pseuds/faith_xx_love
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That moment when Marinette calls Adrien "Chat" in Chemistry class. Takes place after episode 6. A reveal!companion fic of the show.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Idea taken from what I originally posted on my main Tumblr account.

“Alright students, you may go to your respective lab benches,” The Chemistry teacher clapped her hands and gestured to the back of the class where the benches were. “Remember to put on your gloves, goggles and lab coats before performing any experiments! The reagents and apparatus you need are clearly labelled on the shelves on the sides of the classroom. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to approach me.”

To say that Marinette was excited for their first chemistry experiment was an underestimation – she was paired with Adrien Agreste. _Adrien_. The boy of her dreams. Students were paired randomly in their science classes and were stuck together for the rest of the semester unless there was an issue that require a change of partners. Therefore, Marinette would be able to spend a lot more time with Adrien though her gut feelings told her that Chloe might be plotting something to force them apart.

Maybe ladybugs do bring good luck, after all.

“Hey Marinette, I guess we are Chemistry partners, huh?” Adrien said, as he fell into step beside her on the way to the benches.

He appeared so suddenly that it took Marinette all her willpower to not blush and drop all her stationery. “A-A-Adrien! Y-Yes! Let’s do our best!”

Adrien smiled. “OK, you can head to the bench first, I’ll go get our lab coats. I take it that you’ll be wearing small?”

Marinette nodded her head furiously. After Adrien had left, Marinette caught sight of Alya giving her a thumbs-up from two benches away from her. She was paired with Nino. She returned Alya with a big grin and did a little fist pump that left both girls giggling at each other.

* * *

The introductory Chemistry experiment that day was on acid and bases. Students had to use a universal indicator and measure the pH at the point where the solution changed colors using a pH meter. Adrien and Marinette had divided their jobs with Adrien adding sodium hydroxide to hydrochloric acid and Marinette doing the opposite.

It took Marinette a painstakingly long time to get her beakers and reagents ready because she could not help but keep glancing towards her crush on her right. Adrien just looked so _damn_ good in the lab coat and goggles.

_He could be a doctor in the future and he’s going to earn lots of money and we’ll get married and have two or maybe three kids and we are going to live happi– no Marinette! Focus! You can’t let Adrien see that you are an incompetent student! Now, go mix some acids and bases!_

Marinette turned her head away from Adrien and scanned her lab manual, re-reading the instructions. She could have sworn she had read the procedure a million times already.

“OK, add 2-3 drops of HCl to the beaker of NaOH and stir with a glass rod…” Marinette mumbled to herself. “Where’s my glass rod?”

Marinette frowned and looked around her workspace. Adrien had a couple of glass rods at his side. “Chat? Could you pass me a glass rod please?”

The next thing she knew was Adrien whirling around so fast to face her that he nearly knocked over his beaker of acid. Marinette gave a tiny yelp and looked at him in surprise. “Chat…?”

Adrien looked flabbergasted – horrified, even. He had frozen on the spot, his eyes trained on hers and it took Marinette a couple long seconds before she realized what she called him.

“Ohmygoodness, I— I meant Adrien. _Adrien_. I am so _so_ sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” Marinette waved her arms around, attempting to redeem herself. She could already feel all the blood in her system rush to her face with the way Adrien was boring holes into her forehead. “You see, Alya drew Chat Noir’s costume on one of your photos and showed it to me and maybe that’s why I—“

Her face was burning and she could tell that students around her were watching them. But another look at Adrien cut her off. All the colors had drained from his face and he looked very pale.

“A-Adrien…? Are you okay…?” She placed both of her hands on Adrien’s arms, to support him, just in case he was to collapse all of a sudden.

The touch shook him out of his trance. “I-I think I inhaled a little too much chloroform. I have a very sensitive nose and I can smell it in the room. Someone must have taken the wrong reagent. I… think I’m going to visit the infirmary.”

Marinette nodded quickly and was about to accompany him but he rejected her offer saying that she should finish the experiment, as they would not get a makeup experiment day. Adrien ended up being escorted to the school clinic after the teacher paged for an available staff member.

After Adrien left, Alya caught Marinette’s attention from her bench and made a gesture that meant “Talk later. Rooftop.”

Marinette sighed loudly. _So much for luck…_

* * *

“Do you think he is going to be okay?” Marinette asked, taking a small bite off her sandwich and chewing it bitterly.

When the lunch bell sounded across the campus, the first thing Marinette and Alya did was to visit the infirmary. However, they were turned away by the scary school nurse who said something along the lines of “My patients need to rest!”.

“Don’t worry about it too much, Marinette,” Alya gave her a pat on her shoulder but Marinette returned her with a frown.

“Okay okay! I’m sorry! This might be my fault,” Alya raised her hands in defense and laughed nervously. “You have to admit that he looks a lot like Chat Noir though.”

“Urgh,” Marinette groaned. “I am _not_ going to believe you. Besides, there is a possibility that someone really _did_ took the wrong reagent.”

“But Marinette, that’s the problem. I double-checked with the teacher and she said they ran out of chloroform. Even if there is chloroform, it will always be kept in the fume hood. Nobody is allowed to touch them except for upper year science students.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Due to a number of requests asking me to continue this fic, I have finally done it! Thank you so much for your reviews/favs/follows – they made me extremely happy!
> 
> Important Note: Just in case you are confused about the timeline - the first chapter took place between episode 6 and 7 while this chapter took place some time after episode 7.

It was hard to talk to Adrien after that incident. They worked well as partners during Chemistry class however, things had became awkward between them. Although he had denied being Chat Noir when Alya asked him, Adrien seemed more reserved and careful around their classmates, especially around her and Alya.

Marinette let out a deep sigh and closed her Grade 9 History book – the same one that she lost just a couple days ago when she was dragged across Paris by a helicopter. It was when she was about to study for her History test that she realized her textbook was nowhere to be found. Needless to say, she was horrified to know that Alya had her textbook when she checked up on Alya’s blog.

Tikki’s suggestion to bring Alya to the museum was brilliant. Not only was she able to learn about Ladybug’s history, she was able to get her textbook back. Marinette was almost grateful that an akuma appeared that day.

“Tikki,” Marinette called her kwami who was happily snacking away on some chocolate chip cookies her mother baked. “Can we take a trip to the museum? I… I want to look at the papyrus again. Something is bothering me.”

Tikki looked up at her but continued chewing on her cookie. “Sure! Is there something else you are looking for on the papyrus?”

Marinette nodded, grabbing her pink pouch and throwing a couple of cookies in it just in case an akuma appeared and Tikki needed her energy.

Marinette had deduced that her textbook was not detailed enough; it showed only part of the papyrus. She was able to identify an Egyptian Ladybug and Tikki, although the presence of Tikki was not explained in the description at all. She could also make up the image of an Egyptian Chat Noir on the top right of the figure in her textbook. _Does it mean that Chat has a kwami as well?_ _It’s not in the textbook but it does make a lot of sense that he should have one because I have one too._

* * *

Marinette nearly broke out in laughter when she examined the papyrus. _Of course his kwami has to be a cat. Figures!_

“Tikki, do you know Chat Noir’s kwami?” Marinette asked, pointing to a small cat figure on the papyrus.

“Of course I know him! It has been a long time since I last saw him which was centuries ago,” said Tikki, her head peeking out of Marinette’s pouch. “He’s called Plagg. P-L-A-G-G.”

“Plagg?” Marinette mused aloud. “You guys have really cute names. Is there a reason why you haven’t seen him in a long time?”

Tikki gave a tiny smile. “Well… We appear only when akumas appear. The world isn’t constantly in danger, Marinette. And… not many of the previous Ladybugs and Chat Noirs revealed their identities to each other so Plagg and I haven’t seen each other for quite a while.”

“Wait, Tikki. You said you appear only when akumas appear… Does that mean you’ll disappear if there aren’t any more akumas?” Marinette bit her lip and looked at the kwami. She could already feel her eyes tearing up. _No, please. Please don’t…_

Tikki, sensing her distress, immediately replied, “No, Mari, you silly girl! That’s not what I meant! We serve as guardians until our chosen ones pass on from the world. We go into hiding and only appear the next time akumas appear.”

Marinette heaved a sigh of relief but tensed up quickly afterwards. “But… won’t you be lonely when I’m gone…?”

Tikki gave her a knowing smile. “Don’t you worry about me, Marinette. I’ve been through this many times.”

Marinette stared at Tikki for a few long moments. “Oh, Tikki…” Bringing her pouch close to her face, she gave Tikki a peck on her forehead.

* * *

“Why are we at the museum on a holiday? We could have been at home watching TV and eating Camembert.”

“Not everyone’s as lazy as you, Plagg,” retorted Adrien. “Since you’ve forgotten about your own history, I have to come down here on my own to find more information on Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

Plagg rolled his eyes. “It’s not that I’ve forgotten about history. It’s a long story, is all. And you were just too busy for me to explain everything to you.”

“Well, we’re here now. And since there is a papyrus that talks about Ladybug, you can explain to me once we’re there.”

* * *

“Tikki, I have another question. Since there are many Ladybugs and Chat Noirs in the past, does that mean there are Hawkmoths all throughout history too?” One look at Tikki was all Marinette needed. “No way… How did he get his powers? From a kwami?”

Tikki gave her a puzzled look. “I’m confused about that too. A kwami exists as a means to help humanity, not to wreak havoc on Earth. I have no idea where he got his powers. However, considering that Hawkmoth reappears throughout history, there’s a high chance that something – a kwami, maybe – is giving him powers to produce akumas.”

“The previous Ladybugs and Chat Noirs weren’t able to track him down?” Marinette asked. At this point she was sitting in front of the papyrus with a pencil in her hand and her sketchbook laid opened on her lap. She had already taken a several pictures of the papyrus with her phone but as of now, she was copying down some of the symbols while thinking of questions to ask Tikki.

“Unfortunately… No. He has been chasing after our Miraculous too but it was all in vain.”

Marinette nodded knowingly and then suddenly a thought occurred to her. “What is Plagg like? Do you miss him?”

Both Tikki and Marinette had been conversing in hushed tones because there were people around them however, Tikki could not help but burst out laughing at her questions. In a state of panic, Marinette reminded Tikki to keep her voice down. “Me? Miss him? Hah! That cheese-loving kwami is nothing but lazy.”

“Plagg likes cheese?” Marinette eyebrows shot up, clearly amused. “Well, you like chocolate chip cookies!”

Tikki huffed. “We’re _clearly_ different.”

Marinette giggled and drew what she imagined Plagg to be, adding a cheese on the side with the caption ‘I love cheese!’. “Is this what he looks like, Tikki?”

“Not even close! Except for the cheese. You have to add some feelers, like mine.”

* * *

Adrien walked through the hallways towards the place he fought against Pharaoh a few days ago. “If I remember, it’s this way… Oh, there it is!”

He found himself walking a little faster but stopped abruptly when he saw a familiar figure in front of the papyrus he was looking for. “Marinette? What is she doing here?”

* * *

“I think that’s the best representation of him so far, Marinette!”

“Thanks! Oh! And of course, I can’t forget about the cheese,” Marinette grinned. After she had drawn in a Swiss cheese below Plagg, she drew a speech bubble and wrote, ‘I love cheese!’ Then, she drew another speech bubble and wrote ‘Hello! My name is Plag—‘

She was in the midst of writing the second “g” when someone tapped her shoulder and called her name. “Marinette? What are you doing here?”

Startled by the familiar voice, Marinette stood up quickly and dropped her sketchbook on the floor. As a reflex, Marinette snapped her pouch shut so that nobody could see Tikki.

“A-Adrien?!” Marinette exclaimed. “Oh! Um…” She scratched her head. “I was just here, examining the papyrus! You see, I am very interested in Ladybug as well.”

“Sorry if I’ve scared you,” Adrien apologized, bending down to pick up her sketchbook. Marinette shook her head wildly.

“No, no! It’s not a problem.”

Just when Adrien was picking up Marinette’s sketchbook, he caught a glimpse of her sketch and almost froze on the spot. Is… Is that Plagg? What…? Gathering his wits, he got up and handed Marinette the sketchbook, his eyes never leaving the sketch.

“Thank you,” Marinette said, taking her sketchbook. Adrien had to try his hardest to keep a straight face. So many questions were going through his mind.

“That… was a really cute picture, Marinette. What is it?”

Marinette stared at him and then at her sketch. “Well… Um… It’s… an imaginary creature that I thought up! It’s a cat but it has feelers and um, it likes cheese! Isn’t that weird?”

Adrien found that really hard to believe as Marinette continued to laugh nervously. _Cats don’t have feelers! And don’t cats usually eat fish instead of cheese? That sketch looked way too similar to Plagg. And if I’m not mistaken was she trying to write “Plagg”? That last “g” is incomplete. This is too much of a coincidence. How does she know about Plagg? Unless…_

Just before he could ask the question, Marinette took out her phone and exclaimed, “Oh! Would you look at the time? I have to go back to the patisserie to help my parents prepare for opening tomorrow! I’ll see you in class. Bye, Adrien!”

If he was Chat Noir, he could had held her hand and stopped her from running away but Adrien was too dumbfounded to do anything. He could not even bid farewell to her as he watched her leave the area.

“Plagg, did you see that?”

Plagg materialized from his shirt pocket. “Uh-huh. I saw it all. I don’t even like Swiss cheese. She should have drawn a Camembert instead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Notes: Sorry for the cliffhanger! I couldn’t resist. I have always imagined Plagg as being lazy so I couldn’t help but write him in that way. Haha! The above are just my own speculations about Ladybug’s/Chat Noir’s/Hawkmoth’s history and they are written in Tikki’s and Ladybug’s perspectives. Pardon me if any of the above is wrong in the Miraculous Ladybug universe. The next chapter will be up as soon as I am done writing it. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you so much for the favs/follows/reviews/likes/reblogs/kudos! They mean a lot to me. To keep this short, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter (I even burst out in laughter at times). I’m sorry if Adrien came out a little OC here, it’s how I imagined him when he’s alone with Plagg.

 

Adrien was dying to talk to Marinette after their encounter at the museum. It had been two weeks since then. However, whenever he tried to approach Marinette during lunch Chloé would always find a way to drag him away from her. He was also not able to stay behind after school because he had to attend rehearsals for a fashion show his father was going to host in Paris in a couple of days.

He really wished he had the courage to, at the very least, get her number. He was getting reckless. _Just who is she? Does she know about the kwamis? Plagg mentioned that no one, except for those chosen to be bearers of the Miraculous, know about the kwamis._ Historians had recorded that there were magical creatures by the superheroes’ side however none knew what they were. _Who else can she be besides Ladybug?_

“I am so… _hopeless_!” Adrien screamed into his pillow. It was already late at night when he came back from the latest rehearsal. The fashion show would be happening in a week. “I want to talk to her so _badly_!” 

Adrien heard his kwami’s exasperated sigh to his left. “Look, Adrien. You suspect that Marinette’s Ladybug, why not just ask Ladybug when you see her next time?” 

“But there aren’t any akuma attacks lately! I’ve also made a promise with Ladybug that we would keep our identities a secret.” It was Adrien’s turn to sigh. _Just what is Hawk Moth up to? I’m glad I don’t have to skip out on rehearsals but weeks without an attack is just weird._

Chat Noir and Ladybug did not really meet each other unless there was an akuma attack. There was no need to, because akumas were naturally drawn to their Miraculous and would appear at a place where Ladybug and Chat Noir would be found.  Adrien had wondered numerous times if the girl underneath the red and black mask was someone he knew since they almost always appeared at the scene of the attack at the same time. _Maybe Marinette **is** Ladybug…_

Marinette was an incredibly shy girl. When he transferred into her class at the beginning of the school year, she would always stutter and trip over nothing when they spoke to each other. However, being partners with her in Chemistry had made her more confident in herself and they could talk normally now. The traumatic first Chemistry experiment had already been shelved in the back of his mind now that he suspected that Marinette was Ladybug.

Marinette was an aspiring fashion designer who had a big heart – a gentle and caring person who would not hesitate to help anyone in need. Adrien was incredibly impressed with Marinette’s bowler hat, particularly her signature that was sewn carefully on the crown of the hat. He could still remember Chloé’s flabbergasted expression when she was exposed of her plagiarized work and could not help but smile every time he thought of it. The creative and intelligent girl had recently caught his attention and Adrien would be lying if he said he did not develop any feelings for her.

Adrien shifted his position on his bed and turned to look at the bowler hat sitting on his desk. Due to his allergies, Marinette had offered to swap the pigeon feather with an artificial one. He felt incredibly embarrassed and apologetic that Marinette had to change it.

“Are you wearing that at the fashion show?” Plagg asked when he noticed Adrien’s line of vision. He flew towards the bowler hat and gave the feather a gentle poke.

“Yeah. We didn’t get to use it in previous photo shoots. It will appear on the fashion show.”

Plagg settled on top of the hat. “Okay, then, why don’t you invite Marinette to the fashion show? She wants to be a fashion designer, no? It will be a great experience for her and you can talk to her after the show.”

Adrien stared at Plagg and blinked.

“… What?”

“Plagg!” Adrien threw off his covers and went to grab the kwami. Because of his sudden movements, Plagg let out a shriek and attempted to run away but Adrien caught him. “That was a brilliant idea! God, Plagg, I didn’t know you are _this_ smart!”

There were muffled voices from where Plagg was being crushed against Adrien’s chest but it sounded like “What was that supposed to mean?!”

“Oh Plagg, thank you so much! I’ll get you two packs of Camembert tomorrow!”

With that, the kwami in Adrien’s arms let out an excited squeal.

* * *

“Marinette’s not here today?” Adrien asked Alya the next day in class when he noticed Marinette was absent during the first lecture.

Alya’s eyebrows shot up and she gave him a funny look. “She caught a flu over the weekend. Apparently she fell asleep on her rooftop while sketching a few designs and the wind was a little strong that day.”

Adrien’s face fell. He was looking forward to seeing Marinette in class today.

“Do you need me to pass her a message?” Alya asked, taking out her phone.

“Oh! No, it’s okay. I would prefer to approach her myself.”

“Is it something urgent? I’ll give you her number. I’m sure she won’t mind.” _In fact, she would be ecstatic when Adrien texts her…_

Adrien’s heart gave a big leap. He hoped he was not blushing in front of Alya. She had just saved him from the awkwardness of having to ask Marinette personally for her number. “T-That would be nice. Thanks, Alya.”

He did not catch the evil smirk Alya had on her face after he noted down Marinette’s number.

* * *

“Adrien, the fashion show is coming up in a few days, if you don’t contact her so-“

“I know, Plagg. I know! Gods, I can’t do this. I don’t even remember being so nervous around a girl before.” Adrien tightened his grip on his phone. He had been trying to start a new text message but he could not come up with anything good to say. The only other person whom he texted was Nino so he had no idea what to say to a girl. He was homeschooled for a long time so he was deprived of any social activities. He was an incredibly socially awkward person.

“Do you want to transform?”

Adrien swivelled around his chair to look at his kwami, who was savouring a huge slice of Camembert while happily humming to himself. “What? No! I would only end up addressing Marinette as ‘My Lady’ and if it turns out that she’s not Ladybug… I’ll… I’ll jump off a building!”

Plagg let out a sigh. “Humans… and their human crushes. Come, eat some cheese. It will make you feel better.”

Adrien ignored him. “I hope she’s getting better, it’s been two days since she’s absent. I hope she’ll be well enough to make it to the fashion show.”

“It’s still bright outside, why don’t you visit her? You have to give her the ticket to the fashion show anyway.”

There was a moment of silence when Adrien stared at his kwami. A wave of déjà vu came over Plagg and he looked up from his cheese. Then, all of a sudden, Plagg flew as far as he could, away from Adrien. He did not want to be crushed again.

“That was the second smartest thing I’ve ever heard you say!” Adrien stood up from his seat, grabbed his bag and headed towards the door.

Plagg, remembering what happened yesterday, asked, “Am I getting another pack of Camembert tomorrow?”

Adrien flashed him a grin. “I’ll think about it.”

* * *

Marinette’s family owned a rather famous patisserie in Paris. Adrien had tried a few of their pastries his colleagues had ordered at fashion shows and photo shoots but he had never been to the patisserie itself. He was a big fan of their cinnamon rolls.

“Alright, Plagg. I’m going in now,” Adrien said and in response, he felt his kwami gave him a poke through his shirt pocket, acknowledging him that he heard him. Adrien tightened his hold on a bouquet of flowers – an arrangement of iris, daffodils and sunflowers – and pulled open the door.

As soon as the doorbell chimed, he heard someone greet in a cheery voice, “Welcome to the Dupain-Cheng bakery! How can I help you?”

Adrien smiled and approached the lady at the counter. “Hello, Mrs Dupain-Cheng. I’m Adrien, a classmate of Marinette’s. I’m here to visit her.”

Marinette’s mother widened her eyes for a brief second when she heard the name ‘Adrien’ and looked at the bouquet before giving him a wide smile. “Of course! She’s upstairs, in her room.” She pointed to the stairs behind her. “Since our patisserie is connected to our apartment, the front door isn’t locked. Her room’s on the third floor.”

“Pardon the intrusion… I will come back to get some pastries before I leave,” Adrien said, moving behind the counter towards the stairs.

“You don’t have to, sweetie. Thanks for the visit, I’m sure Marinette appreciates it.”

Adrien smiled. “I’ll be back. 谢谢 (Thank you).”

The lady’s smile got even wider when he spoke to her in Chinese. “不客气 (You’re welcome)!”

* * *

“Ohhh… Alya, that girl… She forgot to close the windows! The breeze is too strong – I don’t have the strength to close it myself,” Tikki said worriedly, hovering in front of the windows. Alya was here a few moments ago to hand Marinette her homework and while she was there, she had opened the windows to air out the room. She claimed that Marinette needed a little sunlight since she was cooped up in her room for days.

“Now, what am I going to do?” She looked over to the bed where Marinette was sleeping. “And just when Marinette’s finally getting better…”

* * *

Adrien walked slowly and quietly up the stairs. The time spent as Chat Noir had given him such stealth that some times he would surprise Nino when he approached him from behind.

When he walked through the front door, he was blown away by the bright colors of the living room; hot pink cupboards, a blue fridge and a beige sofa among many others. Even the setting sun that poured in from the windows painted a rosy glow across the room. It was so different from his mansion. Marinette’s house felt so… _alive_.

Adrien then proceeded up another flight of stairs towards Marinette’s room. He could feel his heart beat faster with every step he took. He had visited Nino’s house before and Marinette was the second friend he visited. What should he say when he sees her? He was especially aware of how awkward he could be when he was around others.

On the last step, Adrien thought he heard something. _Oh, is Marinette up?_ His heart was beating extremely fast now. “Um… Mari—“

He stopped himself when he saw something the size of a human fist moving near the window. The movement looked so unnatural that Adrien doubt that it was an inanimate object. He squinted his eyes.

The thing was red and had giant black dots on it which made Adrien think of a ladybug automatically. _That ladybug is huge! Wait… Ladybug…? **LADYBUG?!**_

“Plagg! _Plagg_!” Adrien whispered and shook his shirt pocket. His kwami popped out his head, an angry expression on his face, seemingly annoyed by the way his Chosen One was treating him.

“What is it?! I smelled some wonderful cheese pastries earlier, you _must_ buy some for me!”

“That can come later. Would you look at that?” Adrien said quickly, pointing towards the windows.

Plagg followed his finger and after a moment of staring, he gasped and flew out of Adrien’s shirt pocket towards the ‘ladybug’. Adrien panicked soon after.

“Oh look! If it isn’t Tikki! Hey! Long time no see!”

Said ‘ladybug’ turned to Plagg and then to Adrien who looked like he was posing for the world’s most awkward picture with both his knees on the floor, his left hand holding a bouquet of flowers and his right hand outstretched. She turned back to Plagg and Adrien saw its eyes grew wide.

“Plagg?!” She let out a shriek and then immediately snapped her mouth shut, remembering that Marinette was still sleeping.

All three figures froze when they heard a groan coming from the bed.

 _Please don’t wake up. Please don’t wake up. **Please** don’t wake up_. Adrien chanted. He was sweating so much that his hands were all clammy.

When all movements had ceased beneath the sheets and silence ensued, Tikki took Plagg’s paw and pulled him towards Adrien. “Let’s talk… in the living room. But wait, could you please close the windows for me? I don’t want Marinette’s flu to get worse.” 

Adrien nod his head quickly, went to close the windows as quietly as he could and followed the kwamis down the stairs quietly. He wanted to kill Plagg so badly but right now, he was extremely thrilled to know who Ladybug was. _Marinette is Ladybug! She’s Ladybug! She. Is. Ladybug!_

It took him all his willpower not to jump and strike a victory pose while he was going down the stairs. To think that the girl he was starting to develop feelings for in school was actually the same person whom he loved and worked with to protect Paris was just incredible.

“Adrien, please wipe that smile off your face. It’s creeping me out,” Plagg hovered in front of Adrien and gave his face a tap.

“What? Oh—! I… Oh god, I feel _so_ incredibly happy right now, I don’t know how I should react.” Adrien started laughing and looked from the red kwami to Plagg then back to the other kwami. “Marinette is… such a wonderful girl. I have a hunch that she could be Ladybug and… I am very happy to know that she _is_ Ladybug.”

The red kwami looked surprised for a moment but was soon smiling at him.

“Oh! I’m so sorry. Where are my manners? I believe I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Ad-“

“Adrien, I know.” The kwami said, grinning. “I’m Tikki, Ladybug’s kwami. Marinette talks a lot about you.”

“She does?” Adrien blinked at her.

“Oh my gosh, Adrien, I didn’t think you were that shallow,” Tikki replied, folding her arms. Adrien’s cheeks flushed almost immediately.

“I…” Adrien opened his mouth but closed it and repeated the same motion a few times. He then finally settled with, “Could you keep this a secret?”

Tikki’s smirk immediately fell and she looked at him in shock. “Wha—? Why? But you were _dying_ to know who your beloved Ladybug is, no? I’m sure Marinette would be happy to know that you’re Chat Noir.”

Adrien shook his head and gave her a sad smile. “I made a promise with Ladybug that we would keep our identities a secret from each other. I guess Ladybug – _Marinette_ – thinks that it just isn’t the time.”

Tikki and Plagg gave each other knowing looks. Plagg was the first one to speak up. “Why do most Ladybugs and Chat Noirs act the same way? It’s clear that they love each other yet they hold themselves back because they know it’s dangerous for the two of them.”

“They’re star-crossed lovers.” Tikki nodded in agreement.

“I’ll wait for her… until she’s willing to tell me about her identity,” Adrien said. Both kwamis gave him a tiny smile.

“Oh, that’s right. What are you doing here?” Tikki asked.

Plagg answered for him. “He wanted to talk to Marinette about Ladybug and Chat Noir – but now that he knows about her identity, I guess they don’t have to talk anymore?”

“That was the big part of my visit. But there’s something I want to give to her,” Adrien said, opening up his bag and fishing for the fashion show ticket. He gave it to Tikki.

“This is—! It’s the fashion show that Marinette dreamed about going! She will be thrilled to know that you’ve invited her!” Tikki exclaimed. “Oh but wait, I can’t give this to her. She’ll be suspicious.”

Adrien laughed and took the ticket from her “Don’t worry, I want to give this to her personally. Is she getting better?”

“She had a fever but right now, she just have a stuffy nose and a sore throat. She should be back in school on Thursday.”

“Alright,” Adrien smiled. “I guess I should get going now. I’m sorry to have to cut this short for the both of you. I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about” He looked at the two kwamis and they shrugged their shoulders as if they were used to it. “Anyways, it’s so nice to meet you Tikki. I hope we could talk someday.”

“Likewise!” Tikki replied cheerfully and waved her tiny hands. 

* * *

Later that night when Marinette woke up for a late dinner, she was surprised with a bouquet of flowers from her parents. When she was told it was from Adrien, she nearly fainted. Taking a picture of the flowers, she sent it to Alya who had immediately bombarded her with a series of texts.

Meanwhile, at the Argreste’s household, Adrien was sitting on his bed holding Marinette’s bowler hat, turning one way and the other to admire the work, a smile on his face.

It was a great day for the star-crossed lovers and both Marinette and Adrien could not wait to see each other at school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhhkayyy! I’m just going to end the fic here because honestly, I don’t know how to continue it. LOL. I really really really do hope you guys like this fic. If there are requests as to how you want me to continue it, feel free to give me some ideas!
> 
> P.S If you are wondering why Hawk Moth hasn’t attack for two weeks, it’s because in this fic, Gabriel Argreste is Hawk Moth and he is extremely busy with the fashion show.


End file.
